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(N0 ModlJ" f G. T. BETTENGURT.

SPRING CURTAIN ROLLER. No. 255,571. Patented M51. 28,1882.

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- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE T. BETTENCURT, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

SPRING CURTAIlNfR-OLLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 255,571, dated March '28, '1862. Application filed January 20, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it mayiconcem:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. BETTEN- CUR'1,a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Providence, inthe county of Providence and Stateot' Rhode Island, have invented certain new ,and useful Improvements in Spring Ourtain-Rollers and I do hereby declare thatthe same are fully described in the following specication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to shade rollers of that class which are provided with a spiral spring for automatically winding up the shade anda pawl and ratchet or locking device so applied to the roller that the locking device will hold the roller against turning under the action of the spring, but allow the roller to be turned against the action ofthe spring. Upon drawing the shade down the operation is the same as the old and well-known coachtixtnre, in which the ratchet lifts or disengages the pawl or lock,aud upon releasing the shade the pawl or lock automatically engages the ratchet and forms a positive lock` without any possibility1 ofthe rapid dj ing or` winding up of the shade.

Myinvention has for its object to provide-a device to release the pawl or lockfrom engagement with the ratchet when it is desiredto raise the shade and to release it without varying the speed of the revolution of the roller, also without the aid of any side cord, as is used on the aforesaid coach-tixture, andyet release it in a similar manner-that is, so the shade can be raised toany height at any desired rate of speed, fast or slow, withoutthe engagementof the locking device. taking place; and my improvements consist in the peculiar construction and combination of parts making up such device, as hereinafter described and claimed.

On the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional front view. Fig.' 2 is an end view. Fig. V3 is a section on the line .r andy in Fig. 2. Figs. 4, 5, and6 are sectional end views, showing different positions of the oscillating annular scrolled band-disk and the locking-roll,and also shows the position the stop e on the inside'ot' the spindle-disk E would bein when the several parts are secured in working order to the end of the roller. Fig. 7 represents the spindle d in perspective.v

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

l Adesignatesaroller; a,itsmetallicvcap; B,the

shade; C, the spring, and D the shaft or spindle. Said shal'thas an angular end, d, with a lip on one side ofthe same, by which it is titted right side up in the bracket. H, so that the roller A will revolve around it under the influence of the spring C, the ends of the latter being secured, one end to the roller and the other to the shaft. Said shaft is preferably made in two sections, D and d', the section D being of \vood,having a socketin its outer end, in which the squared inner end of the section d'its, said socket being protected by a metallic cap, d. t The construction thus far described scommon to spring shade-rollers, and forms no part of my present invention. The section d isof metal, and is formed with a disk, E. Said disk has on its inner facea projection or stop, e, and has also a pocket, e', extending from the stop e outward. The stop e and pocket e are located on the same side of the spindle as the lip on the angular end cl. F is an internal annular ratchet, secured to and moving with the roller A inside its metallic cap a. Said ratchet has an inner projecting hub,f, formed round, with the exception of the outer end, f', which is flatsided or polygonal-shaped. G is a peculiar-formed annular scrolled band or ring-disk, having a hole through its center of the proper size to oscillate freely on the round hubf, and is made so as toform a stop or projection, g, extending from its central hole to its outer edge, and when in position on the hubf the face of the annular scrolled band is flush with the end ofthe hub f, and both come up to and in contact with the inner face ofthe spindle-disk E, the projection or stop e on spindle-disk E entering the cavity between the polygonal hubf' and annular scrolled band G,

l isa washer, formed with an extended porl. tion on one side, said extended part being bent at right angle to the mainl body of the washer and suflicientl y far from the centerfot' the same to admit the scrolled disk G to freely oscillate inside of it.

J is a short spiral spring surrounding the hub fand bearing against the under faceof the annular ratchet F and the washer l,thereby creating friction between the washer I and IOU scrolled disk G and inner face of spindle-disk E. The extended and offset portion i ot' the washer I stands outward, and its end enters the pocket e in the spindle-disk E, as shown in Fig. 3, thus securely preventing its turning by the frictional contact oi' the spring J when the roller A is revolved.

K is the locking roller or ball.

The operation is substantially as follows: The parts described occupying the relative position shown in Fig. 4, the shade-roller will be locked. As shown, the locking-roller K engages with the annular ratchet F on one side and the annular scrolled disk G on the other, said disk G being swung around on the hubf until the projection g on the former engages with the projection or stop c on the spindle-disk E, thus forming a lock. To unlock the shaderoller and allow the shade to ascend, the shade is drawn down sufficiently to release the roller K, when it drops by its own gravity into the position shown in Fig. 5. The shade may now be allowed to ascend at any speed desired, as the lockingroller 'K is prevented from engagement with the annular ratchet F by the surrounding annular ange on the scrolled disk G. To lock the shade-roller upon or after the ascent of the shade, the latter is drawn down three inches or more. As the shade starts to descend one ofthe sides on the polygonal hubf wedges the lockingroller K against the annular langed disk G, overcoming the friction ofthe stationary washer I, which is pressed against the disk G by the spring J, and causing it to revolve around on the hnbf until the projection or spindle-stop e comes in contact with the locking-roller K, thereby tripping` or throwing it out of engagement with the hubf" and tlanged disk G, when it drops by gravitation into the position shown in Fig. 6. When the shade is simply let go the spring (l within the shade-roller instantly reverses the motion ot' the latter and causes the annular ratchet F to carry the lockingroller K by its centrifugal force against the cammed projection g on the annular scrolled disk G, and causing it to revolve around on the huh f into the position shown in Fig. 4, thus forming a lock, as previously described.

The advantage of this peculiar locking device and manner of engaging and disengaging the same is, tirst, on drawing down the shade, dispensing with the necessity of any manipulation, such as varying the speed of the revolution ofthe shade-roller or otherwise manipulating the same to effect its locking; and, sccond, the shade-roller is unlocked by the usual short downward pull ot the shade, but yet may be allowed to ascend at any speed desired Without any engagement of the locking device taking place.

I am aware that the United States patent granted March 21,1876, and numbered 174,910, contains therein a band or ring, or, as therein termed, an annular flange with one or more radial openings, through which the pawl or locking-roll gravitates and engages with an outer ratchet or plate with cammedlockingrecesses; also, that the said revolving annular flange or band is arranged for the. purpose of 7o lifting the pawl or locking-roll out of the said engagement by passing under and between the pawl or locking-roll and the outer ratchet or plate with cammed locking-recesses, and therefore I do not claim broadly the application to a spring shade-roller of a band, ring, or annular iange with radial openings for causing the engagement or disengagement of the locking device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is i 1. In a spring shaderoller, the fixed spindledisk E, provided with the stop e and pocket e', the annular scrolled band G, stationary friction-washer I, spring J, locking-roll K, and the polygonal hubbed annular ratchet F, all combined and operating substantially as described.

2. In combination with a spring shade-roller, an oscillating scrolled disk, G, frictionally associated with the roller and having a limited motion therewith, a ratchet, and locking roll or ball K, all arranged to operate substantially as described and set forth.

3. In a spring shade-roller havinga locking roll or ball and an internal ratchet, the combination therewith of an oscillating annular scrolled disk, operating substantially as described, to prevent engagement between said .locking-roll and ratchet when the shade is ascending at any speed, as set forth.

4. In combination with a shade-roller provided with a spiral spring for rolling up the shade, a locking-roll, an annularinternal ratchet, and an annular scrolled disk adapted to change its position with relation to the spindle and ratchet, all so arranged that in one operation the roll will engage with the ratchet on drawing down and releasing the shade and in another operation the roll will not so engage the ratchet when the shade is ascending at any speed, substantially as described.

5. In combination with a shade-roller provided with a spiral spring for winding up the shade, a ratchet, a locking-roll, and au oscillating scrolled disk hung upon the circular portion of the polygonal hubbed annular ratchet, which is secured to the shade-roller and moves therewith, said parts being arranged substantially as described, so that in one operation the locking-roll, on the descent ofthe shade at any speed, will automatically assume such position that it will engage with the ratchet and lock the shade-rollermn letting goof the shade, without any manipulation, and in another operation, when the shade is caused to ascend at any speed, will not engage with said ratchet, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have aixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE T. BETTENCURT.

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